31 May 05 to 28 Aug 05 | Menier Chocolate Factory Outer London, Greater London Performance Details => Venue archive |
This is the struggling (autobiographical) story of a young composer trying to get a rock musical finished and performed. Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson, who wrote Rent and died just shy of his 36th birthday virtually on the eve of Rent\'s premiere. It is in part this real story which so informs and strengthens the musical and shich ensures that the final success seen by the composer is actually twinged with a touch of sadness.
All three performers, Neil Patrick Harris (Jonathan), Cassidy Janson (Susan) and Tee Jaye (Michael) have superb stage presence and lovely, versatile voices with Cassidy and Tee dobling as a number of the minor characters and showing real versatility. Staged simply, with the band (except the poor drummer!) on stage all the time and only a few minor props this is a clean, fun, upliffting show. Scott Schwartz\'s direction keeps the pace up and the lack of an interval helps as this would have lost us momentum. Love it!
Robert Iles
p.s. sorry about the delay posting this review ... I was moving house/office!
This is the struggling (autobiographical) story of a young composer trying to get a rock musical finished and performed. Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson, who wrote Rent and died just shy of his 36th birthday virtually on the eve of Rent\'s premiere. It is in part this real story which so informs and strengthens the musical and shich ensures that the final success seen by the composer is actually twinged with a touch of sadness.
All three performers, Neil Patrick Harris (Jonathan), Cassidy Janson (Susan) and Tee Jaye (Michael) have superb stage presence and lovely, versatile voices with Cassidy and Tee dobling as a number of the minor characters and showing real versatility. Staged simply, with the band (except the poor drummer!) on stage all the time and only a few minor props this is a clean, fun, upliffting show. Scott Schwartz\'s direction keeps the pace up and the lack of an interval helps as this would have lost us momentum. Love it!
Robert Iles
p.s. sorry about the delay posting this review ... I was moving house/office!